The present invention is in the field of oil and/or gas well casing perforation apparatus, procedures and methods. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a unique apparatus and method employing high pressure fluid driven punch for cutting and opening in a well casing and subsequently cutting a passageway through the surrounding earth by the use of high pressure jets for a substantial distance outwardly beyond the casing for permitting the flow of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons into the casing.
The vast majority of oil and gas wells are drilled by the use of rotary drilling procedures in which drilling mud containing extremely fine particles is forced downwardly through the drilling string and out through the bit for the removal of cuttings, cooling and other beneficial results. The most commonly employed material in drilling mud comprises extremely small particles of barite. It has been found that the earth surrounding a drill bore is contaminated outwardly by the drilling fluid for a distance of between 18 inches and 4 feet beyond the bore. This contamination, being largely formed of minute particles from the mud, frequently presents a substantial barrier to the inflow of hydrocarbons to the well casing.
A number of expedients have been proposed and employed in an effort to provide flow passageways through the surrounding strata for permitting and increasing the flow of hydrocarbons into the well casing. Probably the most common expedient is the use of projectiles fired from gun-like devices positioned in the casing; however, the projectiles from such devices are normally incapable of penetrating beyond the zone of contamination and optimum flow conditions consequently cannot normally be achieved by the sue of such devices. Consequently, a variety of other proposals for penetrating the surrounding strata have come forward. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,279 proposes a method of boring spiral bores a substantial distance outwardly from a well casing for increasing production. However, this patent does not disclose a specific apparatus for effecting the desired spiral bores and it is not certain that such structure actually exits.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,887 discloses a fracturing device employing a blow-out plug 11 which is blown radially outwardly through the well casing by high pressure injected into the housing in which the plug is mounted. Dahms, et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,400,980 and 3,402,965 both disclose a tool which is moved downwardly out the lower end of the well casing and from which extendible pipe or hose members move outwardly while discharging high pressure liquid to provide a cavity at the lower end of the well. The device of this patent is employed for the mining of salts. Edmunds, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,967 discloses a device that is similar in operation to the Dahms, et al. patents.
Malott U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,191 discloses an apparatus that is lowered into a well for the discharge of high pressure liquid through nozzle means 26, 27. The discharge from the nozzle means passes through previously formed openings 35 in the casing.
Messmer U.S. Pat. No. 3,318,395 discloses a tool including a body of solid rocket propellant fuel 34 which is lowered to a desired position in a well. The rocket fuel is ignited and the exhaust discharges outwardly through nozzle means 36 to cut through the casing and the cement surrounding the casing. The discharge from the rocket includes abrasive particles which aid in the cutting operation and also serve to cut a notch in the surrounding formation to fracture same and hopefully improve production.
The Tagirov, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,529 discloses a tool which is lowered down a well casing and includes nozzle means through which high pressure abrasive containing water is pumped to cut through both the casing and the surrounding formation. The use of abrasive materials pollutes the well forever in that it creates monumental wear problems in valves, pumps and the like subsequently used with the well. The abrasive is absorbed in the surrounding formation and also blocks the pores of the formation.
Skinner, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,761 discloses a system including nozzles 20 mounted for vertical up and down movement in the casing to cut slots through the casing. The nozzle means does not protrude beyond the casing; however, the high pressure jet discharged from the nozzle would apparently effect some cutting of the surrounding strata.
Other patents disclosing high pressure nozzles for cutting well casings include Brown, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,786; Pitman U.S. Pat. No. 3,145,776 and Love, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,453. Archibald U.S. Pat. No. Re. 29,021 discloses an underground mining system employing a radial jet which remains in the well bore for cutting the surrounding formation. Summers U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,492 discloses a high pressure water jet type well system usable in mining and drilling operations in which a nozzle providing a jet is moved out the bottom of the well and is then moved radially. Jacoby U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,156 also discloses a jet-type mining device movable out the lower end of a well for forming a cavity in a salt well. Boyadjieff U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,676 discloses a mechanical drilling apparatus moveable radially from a well for effecting a lateral bore hole. A number of additional U.S. patent disclose the employment of high pressure nozzle means for cutting the strata adjacent or at the bottom of a well with these patent including U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,018,285; 2,258,001; 2,271,005; 2,345,816; 2,707,616; 2,758,653; 2,796,129 and 2,838,117.
None of the prior art devices have achieved any substantial degree of success due to a variety of shortcomings. For example, those devices which simply project a high pressure jet from a nozzle positioned inside the casing cannot cut outwardly from the casing a sufficient distance to be truly effective. Moreover, the direction and extend of the cut provided by such devices is subject to a number of variable parameters including the nature of the surrounding formation and it is therefore difficult to achieve a predicable result. One problem with all high pressure type jet devices operating through the wall of the well casing is that an aperture must be cut in the casing and the surrounding cement as a prerequisite to cutting through the surrounding formation. In some of the prior known devices the aperture can be cut with the nozzle jet itself whereas other devices require the use of separate mechanical cutting means. Those devices using nozzle jets for cutting through the casing suffer from a very serious drawback in that the cutting liquid frequently includes abrasive particles which remain in the casing and can subsequently adversely effect valves or other components such as pumps or the like through which the abrasive components eventually move.
The use of separate mechanical cutting devices suffers from the shortcoming of requiring substantial additional expense both in terms of the cost of the extra equipment and the cost of time required in using same for cutting the casing. This is true because such use will normally require lowering of the cutting device to the bottom of the well, cutting of the casing and subsequent removal of the cutting device and positioning of the jet means in the casing prior to usage of the nozzle jet-type cutter. The positioning and removal of tools from the well normal requires a time consuming and expensive pulling and replacement of the string.
A common shortcoming of all types of penetrators is that they simply do not result in adequate penetration of the formation outwardly of the casing a sufficient distance to achieve improved production. Therefore, there has been a very substantial need for apparatus capable of effectively penetrating the earth formation surrounding a well casing for a distance outwardly beyond the casing outside the contamination zone surrounding the casing.
It is consequently the primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus and method for penetrating earth formations around a well casing.